Description of the attraction
Murano is an archipelago in the Venetian lagoon, the islands of which are connected by bridges. It is located 1.5 km north of Venice and is under its administrative jurisdiction. According to the latest census, about 5 thousand people live here permanently.
The first inhabitants of these places were the Romans. Then, in the 6th century, peoples from Altinum and Oderzo came to their place. In those years, Murano was a thriving fishing port, salt was also mined here, and, starting in the 11th century, the local population began to move to the area of modern Dorsoduro, and the island began to decline. But at the same time, hermits from the order of the Camaldule occupied one of the islands of the archipelago and founded the monastery of San Michele di Murano on it, which later became the center of education and printing. The famous cartographer Fra Mauro, whose maps were used by the greatest European explorers and travelers, was a novice of this monastery. In 1810, San Michele di Murano was abolished and the monks were expelled. Today the former monastery lands are occupied by the main cemetery of Venice.
In 1291, a turning point in the history of Murano took place - all the glassmakers of Venice were resettled to this island. This separation was caused by the desire of the Venetians to protect the secret of glass production from competitors. In addition, the red-hot furnaces of the workshops could cause fires, so they had to be isolated territorially. Interestingly, glassblowers had incredible privileges, for example, their daughters could marry Venetian aristocrats, but the craftsmen themselves were strictly forbidden to leave Murano. In the 14th century, Murano glass was exported and for a time the island became the main glass factory in Europe.
In 1861, the Museum of Glass was opened in the building of Palazzo Giustinian, which acquaints tourists with the history of the origin and development of this craft. There you can also buy souvenirs of amazing beauty, because Murano glass has long become one of the symbols of Venice. There are several large factories on the island, the most famous of which is Formia. Other attractions in Murano include the Cathedral of Santi Maria e Donato, famous for its 12th century Byzantine frescoes, the Church of San Pietro Martyre and the Palazzo da Mula.
